“Poshest
care home ever” welcomes new manager

Fernhill House, described by BBC Hereford and Worcester presenter Malcolm Boyden as ‘the poshest care
home I’ve ever seen,” has welcomed a new manager.

Mike
Dearn takes the helm at the home, described on a recent
BBC radio programme as ‘like an opulent cruise ship or a swanky hotel’ – and plans to make it truly part of the local community.

Mike
takes over from registered nurse Peta Mandleberg who has been given a new role as
commissioning manager, setting up further homes for its parent company Majesticare.

Mike,
whose professional background is in hospitality, has ten years’ experience of
running and commissioning care homes in the Midlands and Worcestershire, and
spent 28 years as a chef, many of them in the care sector.

He
joins deputy manager Clair Gurteen, a qualified registered mental health nurse
who has been working at Fernhill House since before it opened last spring.

He
will also work closely with fellow chef, award winning Chris Williams, whose
restaurant quality meals are hugely popular with residents – and friends who
are invited to join them for no extra charge.

Mike shares
the home’s ethos of creating a caring, fun-filled and vibrant environment and
is determined to strengthen its growing links with the community.

“This
is such an amazing place,” he said.
“Everyone
who steps through the door is bowled over by its beauty and luxury.
Malcolm
Boyden, who
came to visit a few weeks ago, could hardly believe it was actually a care home.
He said it was like an incredible country hotel.

“In fact, he said that
while he sometimes leaves a care home feeling down in the dumps, on this
occasion he had a feeling of optimism because it is such a beautiful place.”
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